Fantasia Monique Barrino (born June 30, 1984) known by the
mononym Fantasia, is an American
R&B singer-songwriter, actress, and author. She rose to fame as the winner of the
third season of the reality television series
American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "
I Believe," which debuted at number one on the
Billboard Hot 100. Subsequently, she released her debut album,
Free Yourself, which went on to be certified
Platinum by the
RIAA and garnered Barrino three Grammy nominations in 2006.